Sign structure.



T. O. MATTHEWS.

SIGN STRUCTURE.

APPLIUATION FILED MAY 24,1911

1,001,541 Patented Aug. 22, 1911.

FIGJ

HHMHWW m 8 W 1 I B 2 WITNESSES: INVENTOR. MZZ

UNITED @FFTCE.

THOMAS O. MATTHEWS, OF AVALON BOROUGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO JAS. H.

MATTHEWS & 00., 0F PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A. CORPORATION OF PENNSYL-VANIA.

SIGN STRUCTURE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS O. MAT- 'rI-rnws, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and residing in the borough of Avalon, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered new anduseful Improvements in Sign Structures, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention consists in certain new and useful improvements in metalsigns, relating particularly to the corner construction thereof, and totheir attachment to the back board or plate.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a broken perspective of one ofmy improved signs, Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same along the line.TI-II in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 is a broken perspective of the face platewith the corner plates removed.

The following is a detailed description of the drawings.

1 is the back board or plate, usually of wood, and 2 is the metal faceplate upon which the letters or other insignia are cut, mounted orotherwise displayed. The edges 3 3 of the plate 2 overlap the edges ofplate 1 and are bent or turned rearwardly so that they cover the edgesof the plate 1 when the sign is assembled. They may be bent at an angle.as shown in the drawings, or flat against the edges of plate 1, ifdesired. To facilitate the bending of the edges of the plate 2, saidedges, 3-3, are severed or cut away at the corners, as at l, so that thebent edges do not meet or overlap.

The corners of the flat portion of plate 2 and the adjacent ends of theedge portions 33 are covered by corner plates or pieces 5 which are castor otherwise formed to abut flatly against said plate and said edgeportions. The plates 5 are preferably ornamental in character to improvethe general appearance of the structure.

The plate 5 is secured in place by means of rivets or other members, 66,embedded in or otherwise fixed to the under surface of plate 5 andextending through holes 7-7 in the edge portions 3 3. The ends of therivets 6 6 are upset to hold the corner piece firmly in place.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 24, 1911.

Patented Aug. 22, 1911.

Serial No. 629,228.

8 is a bolt or other inember whose end is embedded in or otherwisesecured to the under surface of plate 5 and which extends through a hole9 in the plate 2. 10 is a hole in plate '1 adapted to register with saidhole 9 and provided at its rear end with a countersunk portion 11.adapted to receive the washer 12 and nut '13 which engage the outer endof bolt 8.

In assembling the sign, the corner pieces are first secured to the plate2, as shown, by means of rivets G-(i, and the plate 2 placed upon theplate 1, the bolts 8 entering the holes 10. The nuts 13 are then screwedon the bolts 8 in the countersunk holes 11, and the sign is ready to beerected.

The advantages of my improved structure are manifold. Among them may bemen tioned the ease and accuracy with which the edges of the plate 2 maybe bent without preliminary scoring of the metal, and the rigid andsecure manner in which the corners of said edges are kept in properalinement and prevented from dingiug or distortion. l nsl'ead ofunsightly and uneven corners, the same present a highly pleasing a-ppea-ance and at the same time add to the strength and durability of thestructure. The manner of attaching the plate 2 to the plate '1 isinexpensive and reliable, and at the same time the face plate may bereadily removed without imirring. The means for attaching the cornerplates to the face plate and its bent edges are concealed, as are alsothe means for attaching the face plate to the back plate, thus avoidingthe use of unsightly screw-heads or bolts now in gencral use on signs ofthis type. The construclion is also inexpensive, as the elements 55 notonly serve to cover the bent corners of plate 2 but also act as securingmeans to attach said plate to plate 1.

\Vhat I desire to claim isl. A sign structure consisting of a backplate. a metal face plate mounted thereon and having its edges bentrearwardly to conceal said back plate, corner plates secured to saidbent edges, and means carried by said corner plates and engaging saidback plate and said face plate to bind the structure together.

'2. A sign structure consisting of a back said face plate to bind thestructure toplate, a metal face' plate of greater area gether. I 10mounted thereon, the corners of said face Signed at Pittsburg, Pa, this19th day of plate being cutaway and the edges of said May, 1911.

plate being bent rearwardly to conceal said THOMAS O. MATTHEWS. backplate, corner plates secured to said bent Witnesses:

edges, and means carried by said corner E. A. LAWRENCE,

plates and engaging said back plate and A. W. FORSYTH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

